Assistant Commissioner Leslie James and his family were robbed during the wee hours of Sunday morning, when armed bandits broke into their Sophia home and the attack has prompted former president Donald Ramotar to call for the deployment of the army to support the police in the crime fight.
The three men suspected of carrying out the attack carted off almost $500,000 in jewellery, including pieces that were being worn by James and his wife.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum yesterday told Stabroek News that the attack is currently being investigated as a robbery and ranks are searching for three suspects.
A police source informed this newspaper that ranks know who they are looking for.
James related to this newspaper that he and his wife, Jacqueline James, and their two daughters retired to bed around midnight on Sunday and were awakened some three hours after by noise coming from the front of the house.
Upon investigating the source of the noise, he discovered at least three individuals in his home. According to James, given his training he tried to remain calm. “I told them to take what they want but don’t harm my family,” he said.
They took two rings, including his wedding band, along with two rings from his wife. They also took a stereo but dropped it on the road.
James said as the men tried to leave they broke a sash window at the front of the premises, which roused neighbours. It is believed that the men entered the house through the same way.
James said one of his neighbours armed himself with a cutlass and another even attempted to get into the house to render assistance but was told by one of the men to mind his own business or he would be shot. “One of my neighbours told me he overheard one of them saying, ‘Is the Crime Chief house we just went in bai,’ during their escape,” he said, while adding that the men left on foot. James had previously served as Crime Chief.
The encounter lasted for some 15 minutes. The police were alerted afterward and James noted that they responded promptly.
He said it was the first time he had such an experience and it has left his family, and particularly his two daughters, traumatised.
No one is safe
Meanwhile, Ramotar, in a statement issued yesterday, said the attack illustrated how crime is “spiralling out of control” in the country.
“This is a blatant and brazen attack on one of our most senior police officers,” he said. “It is a slap in the face of the Guyana Police Force and the government as a whole,” he added, while voicing his disappointment at the “casual” approach the government has taken towards handling the situation.
Ramotar pointed out that during the PPP/C’s time in office, the army was called out to do joint patrols with the police during times of heightened criminal activities and it worked well. In particular, he noted that during the Christmas season there were joint patrols to minimise crimes. “This needs to be continued now,” he said.
“I am extremely disappointed that the mentality of the APNU+AFC regime is to keep the army in barracks. The trend all over the world is for the army to come out and work with the police in combatting crime, as in the case of Trinidad and Tobago, [and] Mexico among others in the world.” He added that as the nature of crime evolves, the role of the disciplined forces must also evolve.
“If Mr Leslie James’s home was so wantonly invaded, no one is safe from criminals,” he added.
